Tension In Moby-Dick

Melville intends to reveal to the readers the tensions present in this early society. There is a tension that exists between the masculine and feminine way of life. Melville describes in the first chapter how Ishmael sees many men walking towards the beach, wishing they could go to sea. There is a disconnect between the lives that women are described of wanting, and the lives the men want. In chapter 6, Melville is describing the port town, and mentions the life of the women in the town. He explains they are happiest in the summer when their men return home, and also talks about the type of dowery their fathers give for their marriage in a port town. A woman’s ideal life is described as being married and settled in, while through the setting a man’s ideal life is being an adventurer at sea. A second tension exists between religions in Moby-Dick. Ishmael stumbles across a Black Church, and he feels a bit overwhelmed by its seriousness. This also relates to a racial tension going on in America at this time because the book takes place prior to the Civil war. Ishmael also attends a service in port town he is staying in. This church is different because it …show more content…
He uses low rent humor to make his jokes, which makes Ishmael a more relatable character. An example of a joke Ishmael makes is, “Finally, I always go to sea as a sailor, because the wholesome exercise and pure air of the forecastle deck. For as in this world, head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern.” Ishmael continues to say that people often think they are getting the best of something, while they are actually getting the worst. Melville uses this joke to poke holes in the way society thinks of social class, pointing out that the working class often gets the best of situations. By Melville adding a seemingly meaningless joke, he was able to present a strong argument about class